The Health Regulatory Entity (ERS) has initiated an evaluation process regarding alleged access constraints to cardiac surgery for users of the National Health Service (SNS). This was confirmed on Wednesday, February 25, to Lusa. In a written response, ERS stated that the evaluation aims to “investigate the situation in more detail.” On Friday, the Medical Association (OM) demanded that the authorities ascertain whether it is true that people have died waiting for cardiac surgeries and take immediate action. Carlos Cortes, the president of OM, emphasized the urgency of assessing the situation to prevent patients on waiting lists from dying without a response. André Luz, the head of the Cardiology service at ULS Santo António, reported that “more than 10 patients have died due to an excessively long waiting list”. This statement coincided with a report from Diário de Notícias (DN) about four hospitals in the North (Santo António in Porto, Vila Real, Tâmega e Sousa, and Matosinhos) that signed a letter to the Minister of Health regarding the cardiac surgery situation in the region, warning about the waiting list for patients needing surgery or aortic valve implantation. The Ministry of Health confirmed receiving an email from four doctors regarding waiting lists and some fatal cases allegedly linked to this issue, and has ordered an “urgent evaluation” of the situation. The controversy has sparked reactions from other ULS in the North, including São João and Gaia/Espinho, with concerns about the potential impact of opening a new cardiac surgery center in the region.